Hearts of Lawndale
by Milo
Summary: Stacy wins a young boy's heart. A "Tales from the 'burbs" story.


A story included in Tales from the 'burbs, issue 1. 

Read this and other stories at http://home.image.dk/~tbm/Tales_From_the_Suburbs.html

Milo

  
We are still at Mrs Johanson's house. Mrs Johanson is still sitting on her couch in the living room. With a fantastic effort, she manages to stand. 

Mrs. Johanson: UHHHHHH! (slightly out of breath). Well, boys and girls, when it comes to food, we all know how important it is to eat right! 

Mrs. Johanson lumbers into her kitchen. 

Mrs. Johanson: It's important to eat foods low in fat and cholesterol. Not to mention free from chemical additives. 

A persistent thumping is coming from the pantry door. Mrs. Johnson walks over and opens it. 

Inside, hands tied behind them, gagged and hanging from ropes on hooks set into the top of the pantry, are the two Gupty children, Tad and Tricia. Tad seems to be the one thumping, his untied legs kicking wildly. Mrs. Johanson pulls the gags down. 

Tricia: (gasping) YOU! YOU ARE A BIG, FAT, MEAN OLD CANNIBAL! 

Mrs. Johanson: I'm not OLD! 

Tad: You said you wanted to have us here for some wholesome and healthy snacks! 

Mrs. Johanson: Exactly! That's what I plan to do! I have you here for wholesome and healthy snacks! (looks at audience) Of course, one shouldn't snack before the main course! 

She returns the gags to the hapless Gupty's mouths. She closes the pantry door (now thumping again) and waddles and stands in front of the refrigerator. Pig-face magnets hold papers proclaiming phrases like "Better in the Waste than on the Waist" and "Piggy Piggy" and other fridge door opening deterrents. She turns and faces the audience. 

Mrs. Johanson: (wheezing) And love is the main course of our next tale. Ah, amour! It is a tale sweet teenage love! A tale of a Lawndale high student, to who romance has always been a story of someone who has loved. And lost. And loved. And lost, and loved, and (wheeze) well, you get the idea. 

Mrs. Johanson: Of course, what happens when she finds that special someone she wants to spend eternity with? What will she be willing to give? What will she be willing to do? We will find out in our next story... 

  


"HEARTS OF LAWNDALE" 

  
The scene opens up on a remote moonlit country road. In the pale light we see Stacy is staggering down it, in a daze. She has on a soiled shirt, buttoned crookedly, and is walking in a halting fashion. In the darkness, animal eyes are reflected in the moonlight. Bats flutter in the trees. An owl howls. In Stacy's hands is a large paper heart, red with a white lace trim, of the type given and received on Valentines Day. Stacy holds the paper heart tight to her chest. The owl howls again. There is a look of both horror and sadness on her face. 

There is light in the distance. Stacy first walks, and then runs towards it. Silhouetted in the distance, is a field full of circus tents and animal cages. A few bare light bulbs between the tents provide the only illumination. 

Stacy enters the circus grounds. There is no one to be seen. One tent is illuminated for the inside. A sign outside reads "Fortune Teller". The tent flap is open. Stacy walks over to the opening, and looks inside. A look of relief suddenly appears on Stacy's face. 

Inside, sitting at a table, it Andrea. She has a deck of Tarot cards in her hand. Andrea looks up at the disheveled figure entering the tent. 

Andrea: What the hell happened to you? 

Stacy: (suppressing her sobs) Andrea! Thank God! Can I use your phone? 

Andrea: I don't have a phone. People expect my tent to have an old feeling to it. 

Stacy looks puzzled. 

Andrea: It's a motif. You know. Air of mystery, ancient arts, you know, that sort of thing. 

Stacy: You mean, like not wearing an eggplant top with brown clogs? 

Andrea bangs her head on the table. 

Andrea: I'm trying to reason with another one! Stupid, stupid, stupid! 

Andrea looks up. 

Andrea: For 10 bucks, I'll tell you your fortune! 

Stacy's mouth curls up. Dropping into a seat across from Andrea, she begins to cry uncontrollably. She continues to clutch her paper heart. 

Andrea hands her a spotted handkerchief. Stacy takes one hand off the heart and wipes her eyes. 

Stacy: I already know my future! With the exception of those times when someone sees fit to take time out of his or her busy schedule to abuse me, I'm going to be alone! I'll live alone, grow old alone, and die alone! 

Andrea lifts a corner of her Tarot deck, and looks at a card. She closes the deck. 

Andrea: You peeked. 

Stacy begins to cry again. 

Andrea: (softening) Ah, do you want to talk about what happened to you? 

Stacy: (between sobs) I (sob) can't. It's (sniff) too embarrassing! 

Andrea lines up several Tarot cards on the table, face down. She turns the first one. It reads "The Devil". 

Andrea: It's about a guy, isn't it? 

Stacy immediately stops crying. She looks amazed (like she did with Upchucks magic tricks). 

Stacy: OHMYGOD! OHMYGOD! How did you know that? 

Andrea looks at Stacy's disheveled hair, soiled shirt buttoned crookedly and the now dirty and cried upon paper heart. She rolls her eyes. 

Andrea: Amazing, isn't it? 

Andrea turns another card over. It reads "The Fool". 

Andrea: Ah, this is where you come in. 

Stacy: It began at school. About two weeks ago, at Lawndale High... 

The scene dissolves. In its place is a hallway inside of Lawndale High. There are students coming and going from classes. Stacy stands by her locker, applying eyeliner in a mirror affixed to the inside of the door. She chances to look down the hallway. Stacy provides the narration. 

Stacy: (voice over) ...I saw him for the first time. My God, he was sooo cute! 

A boy is walking down the hallway. Dressed in expensive clothing, handsome with sharply defined features and jet-black, shoulder length hair, he swaggers self confidently down the hall. Several girls turn and look at him as he passes. A shot of Stacy shows her transfixed... 

Stacy: (voice over) ...I felt my heart pounding! He was walking right towards me... 

Stacy looks like a deer stuck in the headlights of a car. Clutched in her hand is the eyeliner pencil she was using a few moments ago. It falls from her fingers, unnoticed. Still staring, she falls to see it hit the floor, and roll over to the young man's feet. He stoops, picks it up, and places it in her hand. 

New boy: Excuse me. You dropped this. 

Stacy: (voice over) ...and, my God! He spoke to me... 

New boy: My names Bryan. Bryan Stimpson. What's yours? 

Bryan smiles. Stacy looks like she's going to faint. She blushes. 

Stacy: (in hall, transfixed) ssssss...sta....stacy. 

The boy takes her hand. His touch seems to calm her. Her eyes go wide as she manages to speak. 

Stacy: STACY! My name is Stacy. 

The boy continues to hold her hand. Bryan smiles again. 

Stacy: (voice over) Bryan! His name was Bryan! I knew right then that... 

The scene snaps back to the fortuneteller's tent. Andrea sits, unmoved. 

Stacy: It was love! Love! At first site! You! You must have felt that way once... 

Andrea: (with a faraway look in her eyes) Well, there was that time with the Polanski brothers and the trampoline...er...wait. (The faraway look vanishes) Sorry. I thought you said lust. 

Stacy: (continues the narration) The next two weeks were heaven... 

The scene returns back to the high school. Stacy stands in line at the cafeteria. Bryan come up behind her and begins a conversation... 

Stacy: (voice over) Bryan was a transfer student from out of town. His family is very rich, and he immediately became a big star on our basketball team. He was good looking and really, really popular...oh, all the other girls were soooo jealous! 

The scene changes to a shot of the lawn in front of the school. Bryan and Stacy are talking. (their lips move, but the audience hears no sound) Well, Stacy seems to be doing all of the talking... 

Stacy: (voice over) Bryan was always there to hear about my hopes and dreams and trips to Cashmans and my shoes that didn't fit right and my trip to the mall with Sandi and problems at school and... 

Bryan seems to be only half listening. His eyes close, like he's going to sleep. His eyes open periodically as Stacy drones on. 

Stacy: (voice over) By the way he listened, I knew he understood me! I knew, I just knew, he was my soul mate! 

The scene is the hallway again. Stacy stands at her locker, bending a patient Bryan's ear with endless run-on sentences that the audience mercifully cannot hear. As the camera moves back, a tube of hot pink lipstick rolls to Bryan's feet. He stoops to pick it up... 

We go back to the fortuneteller's tent. Stacy continues. 

Stacy: But after two wonderful weeks, something happened. Something dreadful and horrible happened! Something, someone came along, destined to dash my hopes and dreams... 

Andrea turns another card. "The Empress". 

Andrea: Quinn? 

The scene returns to the hallway again. Bryan has picked up the lipstick and returns it to its owner. 

Stacy: (voice over) Quinn! 

Quinn smiles, and begins to talk to Bryan. Behind them, a horrified Stacy looks on... 

The scene dissolves to Stacy's bedroom. She sits in her bed, desperately hugging and rocking a large stuffed bear. She looks very upset. 

Stacy: (to the bear) Oh, Mr. Pookie! I wish Bryan were like you. You are here for me. Forever. Always. You will never never never leave me. Not ever. No one will take you away from me... 

Quinn barges into the room, with her hands full of shopping bags. 

Quinn: Hiiii, Stacy! Your mom said you were in your room. 

Stacy looks at Quinn. She takes "Mr. Pookie" and hides him in back of a pillow, as if fearing Quinn will steal him away, too. 

Stacy: I didn't feel too well today... 

Quinn: I know! I came to cheer you up! Here! 

Quinn offers Stacy a small bottle of raspberry schnapps. 

Stacy: Raspberry? 

Quinn: Matches my nail polish. 

Quinn takes a swig. She offers the bottle again. 

Stacy: No thanks. 

Quinn takes another pull from the bottle, and puts it away. 

You missed the best shopping trip! Look at what I got on sale at Cashmans! 

Quinn pulls out a pair of pink panties. The tag is still on them. 

Quinn: Look at this! It's a perfect match for my "Pride and Passion Pink" lip-gloss! 

Stacy: Well, that's nice, Quinn. But who will be able to see that your lips and your panties match? 

Quinn: (muttering) bryan will... 

Stacy: (in horror) What! 

Quinn: (backpedaling) Er, ah... I said..."Why am"...you so sad? 

Stacy: Oh, nothing, Quinn...nothing... 

The scene dissolves back to the fortuneteller's tent. 

Stacy: I felt horrible. I wanted to die. But then! Something happened! Something wonderful happened! Bryan calls me! HE actually calls me! ME! He asks me out on a date! A DATE! 

Andrea flips another card. "The Lovers" 

Andrea: Now things get interesting. Continue. 

Stacy: Tonight, he picked me up. We went to the movies, and got some pizza. Then we ended up in these woods... 

The scene is a quiet country road. It is dark. There is an expensive looking car with the fogged windows. We are back where we started. 

Inside the car, Bryan and Stacy passionately kiss. Bryan's hand starts to move up Stacy's shirt. Stacy pushes it away. Bryan tries a flanking maneuver, but Stacy again expertly intercepts his hand. 

Stacy: Bryan. No. Please. Not yet. 

Bryan sits back. From the floor of the car, he brings out a large envelope. He presents it to Stacy. She looks at it, and is overjoyed, like a child at Christmas. She opens the envelope. 

Inside is a cheap paper heart. On it is inscribed a sentiment as cheap as the card. 

"My Heart Belongs to You" 

Bryan has signed his name to it. 

Stacy is overjoyed! She throws herself at Bryan, hugging and kissing him all over his face. Bryan returns the kisses. His hand once again travels up Stacy's shirt. This time, it proceeds unimpeded. 

We see the outside of the car. The windows fog, the car moves as the occupants change positions. 

Stacy is laying on her back on the seat. Her shirt is off; only her bra remains. Bryan is over her, kissing her. Her arm glides to the car floor. Her hand touches something cold... 

She picks the object up. In the moonlight she can see it's a bottle. An empty bottle. An empty bottle of schnapps. Raspberry schnapps! Stacy stares in horror at the mouth of the bottle. On it is a ring of "Pride and Passion Pink" lip-gloss! Stacy starts to squirm away from Bryan. She shows him the bottle. 

Stacy: What's this!!! This is Quinn's! What was she doing in your car? 

Bryan: (panting, and not wanting to be interrupted) What? It's a bottle. So I have a bottle in my car. So what. 

Stacy now sees another object on the floor. She picks them up. Pink panties! The color of which is a perfect match with the ring on the bottle. 

Stacy: (hyperventilating) OHMYGOD! OHMYGOD! 

Bryan: Okay, Okay. I...took Quinn out last night. It was just a trip to the pizza palace... 

Stacy holds up the pink panties. 

Bryan: ...and we stopped here. Okay, Okay. So things went farther that I thought they would. A lot farther. But that doen't change how I feel about you. 

Bryan pins Stacy down on the seat and kisses her on hard on the mouth. 

Outside the car, we hear a muffled woman's scream! Indistinct female shouts are answered by an muffled angry male voice. The passenger door opens, and expelled roughly into the shadows and onto the ground is a female figure. In the dim light, one can see she is wearing a short skirt, and a bra. 

Her shirt and pocket book now follow her, thrown with great violence from the car. Then the heart shaped card,is tossed on the ground. Stacy cries out, and grabs the paper heart off the damp soil. She clutches it to her chest, next to her own heart, and begins to sob. 

A shadowed arm reaches out and closes the open car door. Before it completely closes, an angry male voice calls out... 

Male Voice: BITCH!!! 

The car lights snap on. The car engine roars, and the car tires spin as the car is driven in reverse out onto the road. 

The young woman looks up. Briefly in the car lights, we clearly see Stacy's face. Her eyes are wide, and streaming tears. Her hair is disheveled. Stacy picks up har shirt, and rapidly puts it back on. 

The car turns when it reaches to road. With a squeal of rubber, the car and its occupant drive away. The now shadowed figure of Stacy continues to clutch the paper heart. In the darkness, we hear her sobbing... 

We fade back to the fortuneteller's tent. Stacy has stopped sobbing, the telling of her story having calmed her. 

Stacy: ...and that's how I got into these woods. I saw the light from this tent... 

Andrea: You were right. 

Stacy: How? 

Andrea: That was embarassing. Of course, the story really isn't over... 

Andrea turns the final card. "Justice". 

Andrea: Yes! 

Andrea pull out an ancient, dusty volume covered with alchemist's symbols. 

Andrea: OK, lets see...revenge...revenge...revenge...ah, here it is! Oh, there are so many good spells here! Come on, come on, and help me pick one out! 

Stacy's lip starts to quiver. 

Stacy: No. I don't want to. 

Andrea: Aren't you angry? 

Stacy: I don't know how I feel. 

Andrea: After he told you about Quinn, didn't you feel, even for a moment, your face get red hot... 

Stacy: yes... 

Andrea: ...and did a red film cover everything you saw... 

Stacy: ...yes... 

Andrea: Did you feel like you could chew iron and spit nails? 

Stacy: ...yes... 

Andrea: ...and you wanted a specific part of Bryan's anatomy to turn black and fall off... 

Stacy: ...yes. 

Andrea: That was anger. 

Stacy: (in wide eyed panic) OHMYGOD! OHMYGOD!!! 

Andrea: OK. Calm down. OK. So, you don't want revenge. What do you want? 

Stacy clutches the paper heart again. 

Stacy: I want...I want Bryan back with me again! I want Bryan and I to spend all eternity together! I want him never to be lured away by Quinn or any one else ever again! I want (looking down at her paper heart) HIS HEART to REALLY BE MINE!!! 

Andrea closes her book. 

Andrea: I don't know. This is love. Amour. A little out of my department... 

Stacy speaks with determination. 

Stacy: I'LL GIVE ANYTHING! 

Andrea: Anything? Like as in your soul, anything? 

Stacy nods affirmatively. 

Andrea: Well, I have to check with the management. 

Andrea steps back from the table. The tent has a grass floor. Andrea reaches down. A handle appears in the earth. She pulls. A slab of sod lifts up like a cellar door. 

Andrea looks into the hatchway. "Downstairs" burn the many fires of hell. In the middle stands the devil, complete with pitchfork and pointed tale (he looks a lot like Tom). He gives Andrea an enthusiastic "thumbs up". Andrea closes the trap door. The door merges back and seals back into the grass around it. Andrea returns to Stacy, and stands directly front of her. 

Andrea: OK. We have a deal. 

Andrea removes a pouch, suspended from a leather lace from her neck. She places this around Stacy's neck. Andrea starts to chant a dark and sinister sounding chant. 

Stacy's pupils go wide, like someone under the influence of Glitterberrys... 

--- 

Bryan is seen swaggering through the halls of Lawndale High. He waves at his many friends, and smiles a small group of girls (who turn and blush) as he walks out of the building. 

In the background, dark clouds are occulting the sun. Small drops of rain begin to fall. 

He runs up to his expensive car, and uses his remote to open the doors. Bryan jumps into the car. He gasps with surprise when he looks at the passenger seat. 

Curled up on it is Stacy. Gone are the ponytails. Her hair lies long and straight on her back. She wears a skintight leather suit, with zippered top and short skirt. Long black gloves, black boots, and blood red lipstick complete the ensemble. 

She holds a thin bottle of dark red viscous liquid. She takes a sip, and licks the top of the bottle seductively. Bryan stammers. 

Bryan: How did you...get inside my...car... 

Bryan is having trouble speaking because Stacy has now moved to within an inch of his ear and is now speaking into it, punctuating her sentences with gentle puffs of hot breath... 

Stacy: Drive. 

Bryan: Where? 

Stacy's hand moves off camera. Bryan's sudden smile reveals where her hand most likely ended up. 

Stacy: Drive. I'll tell you where. 

--- 

Rain pelts the windshield of Bryan's car. Windshield wipers flip across Bryan's face. Bryan is driving. It looks like he's the only one in the car. 

He looks obviously happy. He speaks. 

Bryan: Wow! The devil has really gotten into you! 

Stacy's head pops up from his lap. 

Stacy: OHMYGOD! OHMYGOD! Who told you? 

Bryan: Hey, relax. That's just an expression. 

Stacy: Oh. 

Her head disappears again. 

Through the rain, a motel sign becomes visible. A flickering neon sign proclaims "Vacancy". 

The camera returns to Bryan behind the wheel of his car. 

Stacy: (off camera) Stop here. 

Bryan: Why? 

Stacy's arm rises up to Bryan's face. In her hand is on old style motel room key. On it is a solitary number. "1". 

It is raining in earnest now. The hotel room opens, and the couple run inside out of the rain. 

Bryan is using a newspaper as an umbrella. Stacy seems better prepared. She is wearing a full-length black cloak with a hood, which is now pulled over her head. 

The room is a cheaply furnished affair with a beat-up dresser, nightstand and queen size bed. The couple embraced. Stacy pushes Bryan onto the bed. She straddles his body with her legs. 

She opens her cloak, and starts to unzip her top. About halfway down, her hand falls on the pouch Andrea placed around her neck. She dumps the contents of the pouch in her hand. It is a fine white power. She blows it in Bryan's face. 

Now the camera angle changes. We see Stacy from Bryan's point of view. She is still on top of him, smiling serenely down. Bryan coughs and gags on the dust. 

The screen fades to black as Brian loses consciousness. 

The scene now goes from black to gray. Still from Bryan's point of view, we see a hooded figure straddling him, completely silhouetted. Bryan is calling out in ecstasy. 

Bryan: Oh, Oh, baby. This is great! Great, babe! 

There is a flash of lighting. The figure on top of Bryan is illuminated. In the hard light, the figure is revealed to be...Ms. Barch!!! 

Ms. Barch: I'M NOT YOUR "BABE" 

Bryan's eyes go wide! He screams in horror! 

Bryan: AHHHHHHH!!!!! 

Ms. Barch stands. Out of the shadows of the room, other black cloaked and hooded figures appear. The camera pans to the ceiling, and we see that the furniture has been removed from the room. Bryan is tied, spread-eagle, with leather straps to stakes in the floor. He is completely naked (and fig leafed by one of the cloaked figures, the kind of thing you do if you want to stay PG-13). The hapless Bryan is in the center of a pentagram. The cloaked figures take their places around the pentagram. 

One of the figures pulls back her hood. It's Andrea. 

Andrea: Ms. Barch! What are you doing with our groom-to-be? 

Ms. Barch: Why, I was just getting him warmed up for the ceremony! 

Another hooded figure cackles. 

Hooded figure: Well, looks like you "softened him up" all right. 

The hooded figures laugh and the room fills with their evil cackling. The hooded figure pulls back her hood to reveal herself as Linda Griffin, Sandi's mother. Another figure looks at her in shock. Pulling back her hood, we find Helen Morgendorffer! 

Helen: Linda! When did you join the coven? 

Linda: I've always been a member. I was in the Midville branch. I just finished transferring over. (she looks at Helen with a twisted smile). Hmmm. The requirements for joining here are obviously much less stringent. 

Helen: Hmmm. Yes. Of course, I've always said you were a witch! 

Linda: Why Helen! I always said the same about you! 

The two women laugh evilly. 

Another two figures pull back their hoods. It's Ms. Li and Ms. Barnet, the art teacher. Ms. Barnet is busy with needles, knitting something (with three arms, to steal a Charles Addams gag). Ms. Li is obviously impatient, and is looking at her watch. She speaks. 

Ms. Li: Weelllll ladies. We need to get started. Must I remind you all that we have to attend a PTA meeting this evening! 

The women start to pull up their hoods. Ms. Barch begins to lift hers, but then makes an observation. 

Ms. Barch: Wait! There's only supposed to be thirteen of us. I count fourteen! 

She scans the audience. One of the cloaked figures looks like they are wearing a black terry bathrobe pulled out over the head. Ms. Barch walks over and pulls it down to reveal...Mr. O'Neil!!! 

Mr. O'Neil. Hahahaha. Hello, Janet. 

Ms. Barch: I thought that looked like my bathrobe! What the hell are you doing here! 

Mr. O'Neil: I, er, well, I was wondering were you go some evenings... 

Ms. Barch: I told you! This is "girls night out"! Now get moving! 

Mr. O'Neil drops his robe, and Ms. Barch pushes him rudely towards the door. Mr. O. scurries out the motel room door into the pouring rain. The wind blows it shut. Out the window, the lighting continues to pulse and flash. 

Ms. Li: (looking at watch) Ladies! Please! 

The thirteen hooded figures surround the squirming figure of Bryan. The room darkens; the only light is inside the pentagram. Eerie organ music appears from nowhere. Demonic chanting begins. 

Out of an adjoining room steps Stacy. Her hair is once again braided; a sweet and happy look is on her face. 

She is wearing a red wedding dress. In her hand she carries a bouquet of blood red roses. 

She walks purposefully towards Bryan. When she reaches the edge of the circle, Helen intercepts her. She produces a document. 

Helen: Just a formality, you know. 

Helen holds a contract written in evil looking runes. Stacy hold out her hand. Helen produces a quill pen, and stabs her in the middle of her hand. A tiny pool of blood appears. The pen wicks up a portion of the blood. Helen first presents the pen to Stacy, and then the contract. 

Holding the bouquet in one hand, Stacy takes the pen in the other and signs the document "Stacy Rowe". The writing burns into the paper when she removes the pen. 

Helen: Proceed. 

The chanting becomes louder. Several of the women daub their eyes with handkerchiefs. Another hooded figure reveals her face. It's Jane! She turns to the figure next to her. 

Jane: See. And to think you called this town dull! 

The other figure pulls back her hood to reveal...Daria. 

Daria: I take back a small fraction of all the bad things I've said about Lawndale now. 

Stacy is now standing over Bryan. She kneels, and straddles him once again. She looks down on him with loving eyes. 

Bryan is freaking out! He squirms and shouts! 

Bryan: IT'S AT DREAM! IT HAS TO BE A BAD DREAM! PLEASE! SOMEBODY TELL ME IT'S A DREAM! 

The roses fall from the bouquet as Stacy pulls out a ceremonial knife. It is covered in ancient runes. Light flashes from its edges as the lighting pulses outside. Stacy speaks. The camera moves to Bryan's point of view for the last time. 

Stacy: (in a soft, gentile voice) It's a dream, my love. My dream. You are my dream... 

Stacy raises the knife over her head with both hands. Bryan is briefly heard screaming as the blade plunges downward. 

The scene goes black. 

--- 

An alarm clock buzzes. Stacy sits bolt upright in her bed, hyperventilating! 

Stacy: OHMYGOD! OHMYGOD! 

The camera pans back. It's Stacy's room. Sunlight streams through the windows. Her door knocks. A voice is heard, most likely her mothers... 

Voice: Stacy. Time to get up. School! 

Back to Stacy. Next to her is her stuffed bear, Mr. Pookie. She speaks to the bear. 

Stacy: Wow. It was that dream again. That weird dream. That funny, weird dream I keep having. Oh, thank God, that's over. 

Stacy moves Mr. Pookie to one side. We can see now that something, or someone else is in the bed with her. Pulling back the covers, we see the peaceful face of Bryan, head on the pillow. Stacy pecks him on the cheek. 

Stacy: Wake up, love. We can't let my parents find you here! 

She gets out of bed, and walks over to his side of the bed. Pulling back the covers completely, we see Bryans body. 

He appears to sleep. He wears pajama bottoms. On is bare chest is a series of cuts and stitches. Mr. Pookie the stuffed bear lies next to him. The pattern of stitches on Mr. Pookies body matches the ones on Bryan's. 

Stacy picks up Bryan with surprising ease and carries him into her walk-in closet. She puts him down in a pile of stuffed animals. She kneels down and kisses him. 

Stacy: See you tonight, my love. 

--- 

We are now in Stacy's kitchen. A man, most likely her father, is in suit and tie is putting on a coat, obviously preparing to leave for work. Stacy walks by him in a daze. He speaks. 

Father: Stacy. The library left a message. They said you have two overdue books on taxidermy. 

Stacy drifts over to the refrigerator, obviously in her own little world. 

A woman appears. Stacy's mother. The man speaks. 

Father: What's with her? 

Mother: Leave her be. (she smiles) I think she's in love. 

Father: Again? 

Mom shoots him a hard look. They leave the kitchen. The father speaks as he leaves. 

Father: Taxidermy? What kind of school assignments are they giving our kids... 

On the counter, a small white TV is on. A talking head is reporting about the two-week search for Bryan Stimpson. No leads to his mysterious disappearance. Stacy is oblivious even to this. 

She opens the refrigerator door and takes out a box. Opening the box, we see the paper heart that Bryan gave her. It is crumbled, and wrapped around an object. 

Stacy opens the paper heart and looks at the contents with reverence. It a human heart! Blood from the real heart stains the cheap paper one. Stacy holds it to her chest, lovingly. 

Stacy: At last, Bryan. You are mine. No one can take you away from me now. You're truly mine! Your heart really belongs to me... 

--- 

Fade to Ms. Johanson's kitchen. Her refrigerator door is open. She holds in her hand a bloody crumpled paper heart. The paper is empty. Ms. Johanson is licking bloody fingers... 

Ms. Johanson: UMMMMM! That was tasty. That story remained me that I once had a boyfriend, too. 

The pantry door is still banging in the background. Ms. Johanson drops the bloody paper heart and picks up a meat cleaver. She begins to walk towards the pantry containing the hapless Gupty's. She winks at the audience. 

Ms. Johanson: Well, boys and girls. Time for dessert!!! 

  
The end 


End file.
